Getting alerts for when concert tickets go on sale can help you buy tickets right when they become available before the best seats sell out. Here are some tips on how to make sure you don’t miss out:
Sign up for artist email lists
One of the best ways to find out about concert ticket sales is to sign up for email alerts directly from the artist or band. Most musicians have email lists you can join on their website. When they announce a new tour or tickets going on sale, subscribers to the email list usually get first notice.
Here’s how to sign up for artist email lists:
- Go to the musician’s official website and look for a place to submit your email address. There may be a sign-up box on the homepage or a link in the site footer.
- Check social media bios for the band. Sometimes they’ll include links to join their email list.
- When you buy merchandise from an artist’s website, there is usually an option to give your email address for notifications about new music and events.
- Consider following musicians you want alerts from on social media. Turn on notifications so you don’t miss any posts about tour announcements or ticket sales.
Once you sign up for an artist email list, check your inbox regularly so you don’t miss an important pre-sale code or ticket link. Some emails may go to your spam or promotions folder, so keep an eye there too.
Follow venue and promoter accounts
Venues and concert promoters will often announce when tickets are going on sale for upcoming shows at their locations. Follow their social media accounts and sign up for email newsletters to stay in the loop.
Here are some tips for following venues and promoters:
- Search for the venue or promoter online to find their website and social media handles.
- Follow them on Twitter and turn on notifications for their tweets so you can act fast when tickets go on sale.
- Like or follow their Facebook page and turn on notifications.
- Check venues’ websites for email newsletter sign-ups so you get alerts right to your inbox.
- Download venue/promoter apps if available for instant notifications about shows.
Use concert ticket alert websites and apps
There are various websites and mobile apps specifically designed to alert you about concert tickets going on sale. These can track all the artists you’re interested in seeing and send notifications when new tour dates are announced.
Some popular concert ticket alert services include:
- Bandsintown – Get alerts about your favorite artists and bands.
- Songkick – Track bands you love and get notifications about shows and ticket sales.
- SeatGeek – Allows you to follow performers and get alerts for upcoming events.
- Ticketmaster – Provides notifications when tickets go on sale for selected shows.
The benefit of these services is they aggregate tour announcements and ticket sale info in one place. However, sometimes alerts may not be as fast as signing up directly with an artist or venue.
Sign up for pre-sale offers
To get early access to tickets before the general public, look out for pre-sale offers. These usually require a special code to unlock tickets for booking before they officially go on sale.
Ways to get pre-sale codes:
- Join artist fan clubs that provide ticket pre-sales to members.
- Sign up for VIP packages or meet and greets that come with pre-sale codes.
- Follow the venue or promoter on social media – they may announce pre-sales there.
- Check the artist’s website ahead of the tour for pre-sale details.
Once you get a pre-sale code, write it down and set a reminder for the pre-sale start time. Be ready on the ticketing website right when the pre-sale opens to take advantage of getting tickets before everyone else.
Use presale password websites
Websites like Presale Password provide a database of current pre-sale codes for various concerts and events. You can search the site to find passwords for upcoming shows you want to attend.
While Presale Password aggregates a lot of info, there is no guarantee the codes will always be up-to-date or still working. Still, it can be helpful to check the site leading up to an event for any presale passwords that get posted.
Set up ticket alerts on ticketing websites
Most major event ticketing platforms allow you to set up alerts for specific performers so you know when their tickets get released.
On Ticketmaster for example, you can:
- Select ‘On Sale Calendar’ and filter by your favorite artists.
- Click ‘Remind Me’ next to any upcoming shows listed.
- Verify your email address – you’ll get an email when those tickets go on sale.
StubHub and AXS also have options to set alerts for your chosen events and artists. Take advantage of these features so ticketing sites inform you right away when coveted tickets become available.
Check fan forum ticket exchanges
Fan forums and subreddits are good sources for tips on concert ticket sales. Other fans often share info about presales and additional ticket releases there.
For example on Reddit:
- Search for the musician’s subreddit and watch for posts about tour announcements or ticket purchasing advice.
- Check the concert tickets subreddit for general ticket buying tips.
Popular fan forums to watch include Reddit, Facebook Groups, Twitter threads, and message boards on artist’s websites.
Wait for additional ticket releases
If a show immediately sells out, don’t lose hope! Oftentimes more tickets will get released leading up to the concert date. Venues and artists hold back some tickets for various reasons:
- Production holds – Extra tickets get released after stage setup is finalized.
- VIP upgrades – Fans opt for VIP packages freeing up general admission tickets.
- Reclaimed tickets – Tickets get re-released from unpaid orders or cancellations.
Keep checking ticket seller websites leading up to the concert for these ticket releases. Have your payment info saved so you can quickly snag tickets when they pop up.
Fan-to-fan exchanges like Lyte are also good for finding last minute ticket availability from fans looking to resell.
Leverage pre-sales and waiting lists strategically
Take full advantage of pre-sales, waiting lists, and verified fan programs when you really want tickets for a hot show. Here are some tips to use them effectively:
- Sign up for every applicable pre-sale – artist, venue, credit card, radio station – to increase your chances.
- Get on the waiting list or verified fan list even if you already have pre-sale access. It’s good backup.
- Save payment info ahead of time so you can check out fast when your pre-sale window opens.
- Try for the best tickets first, then keep looking for better seats in subsequent sales.
Use multiple devices
When tickets first go on sale, especially for high demand shows, ticketing websites can get bogged down with traffic leading to long waits, glitches and error messages.
To get around this, use multiple devices to access the ticket sale:
- Have one family member/friend try on a desktop computer and another on their mobile phone.
- Use your laptop, tablet, and smartphone all at once to hit the ticket link.
- Make sure to be on strong wifi and disable apps running in the background.
The more devices simultaneously attempting to access the tickets, the better chance you’ll beat the online queue and secure your seats.
How dynamic pricing influences when to buy tickets
Demand-based pricing means ticket prices can fluctuate over the course of an onsale period. Tickets may start cheaper and rise in cost as an event date approaches. Some factors impacting price changes:
- Low ticket sales initially lead to price drops to boost demand.
- As prime seats get snatched up, remaining tickets increase in price.
- High demand shows see ticket prices quickly escalate.
To get the best deal, consider buying early when prices may be lower – but not too early that you overpay for nosebleed seats. Checking pricing trends can help determine the prime time to purchase.
Use historical data to guide timing
Reviewing past pricing and availability data for comparable artists and venues can provide a blueprint for when to buy. Aggregator sites like TicketIQ track historical ticket data to forecast how prices may fluctuate leading up to events.
Event | Ticket Price Over Time |
---|---|
Ed Sheeran at Wells Fargo Center | Started at $125/ticket 6 months out, rose to $175 at 3 months, peaked at $250 by concert date. |
Harry Styles at MSG | Began at $89/ticket 9 months out, increased to $150 at 6 months, topped at $250 within the final month. |
In these examples, buying around 6 months out secured tickets less than half the price versus right before the show. Checking historical data can uncover ideal timing.
Track prices leading up to onsale
Prices can also evolve in the days and hours leading up to an onsale as venues gauge demand. One tactic is tracking prices across primary and resale sites right before tickets go live to forecast the ideal time to buy. Be ready to pull the trigger when prices hit the lowest point.
Days From Onsale | Average Ticket Price |
---|---|
10 Days Out | $100 |
5 Days Out | $75 |
1 Day Before | $60 |
In this case, waiting until day-of-onsale scored tickets for 40% less. Following price drops leading up to the sale helps determine when prices are favorable.
Have backup payment methods ready
Nothing’s worse than finally getting a ticket in your cart only for the purchase to fail because of a declined card. Avoid this by having multiple payment options ready to go:
- Credit cards – Have your main card but also a secondary one as backup.
- eTickets – Link your PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay to breeze through checkout.
- Mobile wallet – Preload ticket money into Apple Wallet, Google Pay, etc.
Make sure all payment methods are fully updated with your latest info. Test them ahead of time by purchasing smaller items to confirm they work.
Use auto-fill plugins
Entering billing details and credit card numbers each transaction can cost precious seconds. Speed up the checkout process using auto-fill plugins that populate your info with one click. These work for both desktop web browsers and mobile:
- Google Chrome – Enable autofill payment settings and addresses.
- Apple Safari – Use autofill to save credit card numbers, contact info.
- Browser extensions – Install autofill plugins like Form Filler to save and fill in forms quickly.
Enabling these features helps blast through checkout almost instantly versus manually inputting everything.
Adjust strategies for coveted shows
When it comes to incredibly popular artists or small venue events, conventional ticket buying methods may not cut it. Here are some tips to boost your odds in competitive onsales:
Use pre-queues wisely
Major ticketing sites now frequently use waiting room queues to control traffic for massive onsales. Strategies for making them work for you include:
- Join the queue as early possible, at least 30 mins before onsale time.
- Use multiple devices to join the queue – phones, laptop, desktop, tablet.
- Have all payment methods saved on each device you use to queue.
- Once accessing tickets, quickly grab best available vs getting picky.
Leverage fan club presales
Dedicated artist fan clubs offer the most exclusive presale access. To get those coveted pre-sale codes:
- Join fan clubs early, as much as a year out. Most have annual fees.
- Check fan club websites for presale details before codes get emailed.
- Follow fan club social accounts for any presale announcements.
Try VIP packages
Purchasing a VIP experience with perks like premium seating, backstage access, and meet & greets often come with presale ticket availability. Some options are:
- Look for VIP deals on an artist’s website before tickets go on sale.
- Check fan club membership benefits for VIP ticket bundles.
- Use the artist’s fan club presale code to access VIP packages.
VIP packages can be pricey but may be worth the cost for hard-to-get shows.
Use ticket resale market strategically
While buying tickets from resellers often means paying more, for popular shows it can be necessary. Tactics include:
- Set price drop alerts on StubHub, VividSeats, SeatGeek to snag last minute deals.
- Check resale sites immediately after onsale for fans dumping unwanted tickets.
- Wait until 1-2 weeks before the show when prices are often lowest.
If going the resale route, always use trusted sites like StubHub to avoid scams and counterfeits.
Be persistent and move quickly
Scoring tickets for the most coveted concerts requires speed, flexibility and relentlessness. Keep these tips in mind:
- Keep trying for tickets even if initial attempt fails – additional sales and releases will happen.
- Have accounts set up ahead of time on ticketing sites so you can check out in seconds.
- Once in checkout, finish buying ASAP before tickets get removed from your cart.
- Act fast when you get text alerts for pre-sales – codes can reach capacity quickly.
Persistence and preparation will pay off when navigating competitive onsales to secure in-demand tickets.
Conclusion
With concerts selling out quicker than ever, you need diligence and agility to get tickets these days. Sign up for presales, follow socials, and leverage fan clubs to get ahead of the competition. Monitor prices using historical data to time your purchase right. Have multiple devices ready to pounce when tickets go live. When all else fails, don’t rule out paying above face value to get into high-demand shows before it’s too late.